CanvasPop Facebook shoot

You can catch even more me over at CanvasPop’s blog this week talking about protecting your images online (if you choose) don’t miss it!

My friends at CanvasPop called me up a few months ago to take the product photographs for their upcoming Facebook print launch. They had tapped the Facebook API so that users can upload their low res Facebook images, apply a filter, and end up with a really nice wall-hanging piece of art.

The job called for a studio shoot, clean background with the potential to change the colours or even composite the subjects later. The client wanted it on-location too, which works for me considering my standard cramped quarters. We also had a photographic stylist on-hand, Catalina Bloch was an incredible asset, she brought accessories, did mild makeup, and helped refine poses of the subjects, which allowed me to focus on the final look of the image and some of the technical setup. The more we can compartmentalize a shoot, break up sections so that peoples expertise can really shine – the better the end product for our clients.

We shot on a large dark grey seamless, which gave a neutral colour that could easily be swapped in post. I then had a 6 light setup two strip lights, a hair light (using a lumiquest Softbox ltp), one large Octa at camera right as a key, and another at camera left for fill coupled with a 6 foot silver reflector. This combination provided a broad swath of light, but not one without shadows – just with controlled shadows. Below are some setup shots as we established our lighting ratios:

Of course we couldn’t resist taking a self-portrait at the end of a very long day. Thanks to everyone at CanvasPop for letting us take over their offices, and thanks to Catalina for another amazing styled shoot.